Speaking of Cults
A podcast about cults, coercive control and recovery. Formerly called the Sensibly Speaking podcast, in this weekly show host Chris Shelton interviews cult survivors, psychologists and other professionals and specialists about the topics of cult recruitment, retention and recovery.
Episodes
Episodes
Saturday Oct 22, 2022
#358: Helping a Scientologist Escape ft. John Christansen
Saturday Oct 22, 2022
Saturday Oct 22, 2022
This week I welcome guest John Christansen, the man who helped ex-Sea Org member Katherine Olson to escape Scientology and go to the Aftermath Foundation to create a new life for herself. We go into all the details of what this entailed and it’s not exactly a nail-biting account, but all the basics I’ve been talking about for years are covered and I hope this helps anyone out there struggling with how to help their friends or family who are trapped in a cult now. Enjoy!
The post Sensibly Speaking Podcast #358: Helping a Scientologist Escape appeared first on The Sensibly Speaking Podcast.
Saturday Oct 15, 2022
#357: A Billion Years with Mike Rinder
Saturday Oct 15, 2022
Saturday Oct 15, 2022
This week I’m very happy to welcome Mike Rinder, former Sea Org executive and Emmy-award winning co-host of Scientology and the Aftermath, now doing media for his new memoir, A Billion Years. We had a great conversation and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
The post Sensibly Speaking Podcast #357: A Billion Years with Mike Rinder appeared first on The Sensibly Speaking Podcast.
Saturday Oct 08, 2022
#356: Scientology and the Masterson Trial with Ciprian Ivanof
Saturday Oct 08, 2022
Saturday Oct 08, 2022
This week I welcome back DC lawyer Ciprian Ivanof to help me dissect some legal points and predictions for the upcoming trial of Scientologist Danny Masterson, an event five years in the making that finally begins next week. We truly hope the victims get the justice they deserve.
The post Sensibly Speaking Podcast #356: Scientology and the Masterson Trial appeared first on The Sensibly Speaking Podcast.
Saturday Oct 01, 2022
#355: Being a Second Generation Scientologist with Ian Rafalko
Saturday Oct 01, 2022
Saturday Oct 01, 2022
We all know Scientology is a really bad thing but what about growing up in a Scientology household? What’s that like? What happens to kids who never asked to be indoctrinated into an extremist, authoritarian belief system that seeks to control every second of their lives? In this podcast, Ian Rafalko and I discuss this in some detail and give a firsthand view of what the children of Scientologists have to go through.
The post Sensibly Speaking Podcast #355: Being a Second Generation Scientologist with Ian Rafalko appeared first on The Sensibly Speaking Podcast.
Saturday Sep 24, 2022
#354: Getting an Education After Leaving a Cult (Part 2) with Pat Henrickson
Saturday Sep 24, 2022
Saturday Sep 24, 2022
Well it only took us a year, but educator Pat Hendrickson and I have put together a part two of our talks on how to go about getting an education after leaving a destructive/coercive situation. In this week’s show, we discuss my journey into higher education, what it entailed and how people can take advantage of resources all around them to learn, grow and recover. This podcast is mainly intended for cult survivors but anyone can take what we discuss here to help others with higher learning. Enjoy!
The post Sensibly Speaking Podcast #354: Getting an Education After Leaving a Cult (Part 2) appeared first on The Sensibly Speaking Podcast.
Saturday Sep 17, 2022
#353: Deconstructing Narcissism with Jon Atack
Saturday Sep 17, 2022
Saturday Sep 17, 2022
We’re back and with a bang – a 2-hour discussion with Jon Atack to talk turkey about narcissism, what it is and what it isn’t. This being a chat with Jon, we cover a wide range of topics beyond just narcissism, but all of it interesting. Enjoy!
The post Sensibly Speaking Podcast #353: Deconstructing Narcissism appeared first on The Sensibly Speaking Podcast.
Saturday Aug 13, 2022
#352: The Internet and Cults of Opportunity with John P. Capitalist
Saturday Aug 13, 2022
Saturday Aug 13, 2022
This week I welcome back John P. Capitalist to discuss recent news about internet-based cults converting over into real-life activities and the opportunities which led to these destructive groups ensnaring unsuspecting victims into their insane ideologies and practices, including radicalized terrorism. We touch on a lot of topics in this one related to cults, economics and the current world situation. Enjoy!
The post Sensibly Speaking Podcast #352: The Internet and Cults of Opportunity appeared first on The Sensibly Speaking Podcast.
Saturday Aug 06, 2022
#351: Extremist Thinking and Ex-Cult Members
Saturday Aug 06, 2022
Saturday Aug 06, 2022
This week I’m joined by my good friend and former Scientologist, Mark Turi, to discuss issues we’ve encountered in ex-cult or ex-religion groups, social media and personal interactions with ex-cult members who can still carry the effects of the trauma and abuse they suffered and the habits they developed to deal with that, ourselves included!
The post Sensibly Speaking Podcast #351: Extremist Thinking and Ex-Cult Members appeared first on The Sensibly Speaking Podcast.
Your Host
Hello, my name is Chris Shelton and I am an author, consultant, podcaster, videographer, and former cult member. Welcome to my podcast!
Who is Chris Shelton?
Chris started a YouTube channel which has over 45,000 subscribers, produces the Sensibly Speaking podcast each week and has produced hundreds of videos laying out the scam of Scientology, educating on critical thinking and interviewing former members of Scientology and other destructive cults, as well as a range of therapists, cult exit counselors, educators and media personalities. Chris has also given talks and presentations around the United States about his experiences and has been featured on numerous podcasts and television shows. He was featured on Leah Remini’s Scientology and the Aftermath on A&E and served as a consultant to the show for its first two seasons. He has also written a critical analysis of Scientology and L. Ron Hubbard called Scientology: A to Xenu – An Insider’s Guide to What Scientology is Really All About, available on Amazon in printed form, e-book format and as an audio book.